It was some things and old and some things new for the Saints as they took the field for their first preseason game of the year, falling 27-13 to the Los Angeles Chargers in an overall unceremonious effort on Sunday afternoon.

The Saints continued to have questions at quarterback, with Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener all going through their fair share of ups and downs, though many could argue that what Shough showed through the air was the highlight of that position group.

That was far from all there was to talk about though, with multiple positives and negatives. Here’s a look into three players who impressed, and three who left some room for concern with the regular season now just weeks away.

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Stud: LB Jaylan Ford

No Saints defender put up numbers and went as noticed as the former Texas Longhorns linebacker did. Ford far and away led the defense on the stat sheet, tallying five tackles and three assists. Behind him, where numbers are concerned, was defensive end Fadil Diggs, who had four combined tackles and one sack.

After the big defensive plays he made in practice before this weekend, his notable performance comes as no surprise.

Stud: WR Kevin Austin Jr.

Very few newer Saints made as strong of a case for themselves to achieve a roster spot quite like Austin did. He ws consistently reliable as a target, reeling in four receptions for 42 yards. While he did not come down with a touchdown reception, the chemistry and trust between he and quarterback Tyler Shough was evident based on the number of times the former Louisville quarterback threw the ball his way.

Austin averaged 10.5 yards per catch.

Stud: QB Tyler Shough

Perhaps the most polarizing topic of the offseason and this preseason game for the Saints was the quarterback position. While there were some complaints with the performances of all the signal-callers who took the field — and rightfully so — it would not be fair to say that Tyler Shough did not turn some heads with explosive throws.

That included the Saints’ first touchdown of the game, in which Shough connected with wideout Mason Tipton for the 54-yard touchdown. Shough ended his day 15-for-22 passing with 165 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception, as he rebounded from an initially shaky debut.

Dud: RB Cam Akers

If things continue the way they looked Sunday, it doesn’t appear Akers has much of an edge on Clyde Edwards-Helaire at the running back position any longer as we once thought he did. Akers was largely unimpressive in this appearance, carrying the ball four times for nine yards, averaging just 2.2 yards per carry. It was actually quarterback Spencer Rattler who led the team in rushing with 22 yards on the ground, while Akers lacked the desired “it” factor that was expected of him.

Dud: QB Spencer Rattler

Spencer Rattler entered this game as the unofficial starting quarterback, but he didn’t sell us on that idea entirely. Before being pulled during the second quarter, Rattler connected on seven of his 11 passing attempts for 53 yards without a score, also taking three sacks and losing one fumble. Rattler was only partially to blame for the latter.

Rattler did impress some with the way he extended drives with his legs, carrying the ball three times for 22 yards.

Dud: OL Dillon Radunz

It did not take long to see that the Saints were still haunted by some of their past offensive line issues, with Radunz presenting some of the unit’s most glaring issues. Radunz blew the assignment multiple times, leaving the right side of the quarterback vulnerable and contributing to some of the signal-callers’ decision-making errors. That was most obvious when Rattler lost a fumble because of Radunz’s failure to protect. He’s played a lot of guard at training camp, and it’s clear he can’t be asked to spend too much time outside at tackle.